Guthrie & Olivia: “My partner and I are doing a multi-month bicycle trip through the American Southwest, and I brought my Panasonic GH3 & 12-35 along to document, and do videography. The link is to our blog post, and (short, 4 minute) video. http://wp.me/p36V55-Ep. The video was shot and edited entirely with the equipment we carry by bicycle! Here’s the link to just the video too, if you only feel like posting that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwwSpSuWD2U“

Like my work and want to support me? Do it for free :)

Whenever you go for a shopping just click on those links and buy whatever you want and I will get a small commission for it without you having to pay one single penny extra: Amazon, Olympus US store, Adorama, B&H, eBay.

I have the feeling that ephotozine have always different sharpness results than other reviewers. For exemple, concerning the 9-18 mm the results at dpreview are a bit different:
– @ 9mm, egdes sharpness is not excellent as ephotozine is saying (f5.6 and f8) but just average. This what I see from the pictures I’m taking, the 9-18 has average edges @ 9mm at any aperture…
– @ 9mm, center sharpness doen’t change from f4 to f8 while dpreview is saying that it decreases a bit, this is also what I see in my pictures, at f8 the picture is more homogeneous but this is definitely not where I have the best center sharpness…
The strength of the 9-18 mm is the compromise between size and weigth and performances: it is so small and so light and has good perfomances (but not stellar…)

ISO 1638400

I notice a trend amongst many UK based review sites is that they are seldomly very critical of any products. ephotozine, Photography Blog, Tech Radar, Camera Labs as some examples. Most products get 4/5 stars (or 80+%) and a recommended rating. Even mediocre products get at least 3.5/5 stars. Perhaps this is an effect of a politically correct mentality where “everyone’s a winner”.

Maybe they have a strange view that lenses are for use in taking photographs. Its a view that some hold. But, we all know they are really made for measuring and comparing. Photographs have nothing to do with it. The idea that such a cheap lens may be usable and credited with a usability factor is beyond belief. The industry is bereft of ideals.

ISO 1638400

I understand the point you make on practical useability above all else. But products still require a more objective analysis. Else, everything is on equal footing. There are no more tiers of quality differences. Any one product is as good as everything else, which is simply not possible. A 4/5 star or 80+% rating denotes excellence and top of its class. To give the majority of products reviewed such high ratings and recommendations is not helpful to either the consumer or the manufacturer. What improvements do manufacturers have to make if everything already is “excellent” and “top of its class”?

Governments tried a similar philosophy in the western education system. Let’s give every kid in the class an A grade to make him/her feel better. Let’s not make distinctions between students based on learning ability. They tried this Outcomes Based Education (OBE) system in many countries and it is a failure. Students’ learning abilities and academic level still need to be objectively assessed as a proper gauge of their educational progress. Feel good factors and back patting as the sole motivator for success doesn’t work.

ISO I believe there is considerable difference between giving high school marks as incentive and cameras. There are hard ways of doing things and easier ways of doing the same thing.
There was once an old story that children should be taught to ride bikes on concrete. The theory being if they fell off they would hurt so much they would not fall off again. That is of course stupid letting a kid bash out their own brains for this purpose. Let them learn on grass, they learn just as quickly only this time its the feeling silly and dented ego that makes them keep going. People are not manufactured articles and cannot be assessed or measured in the same way. Nor can manufacturers be put in the same assessment basket as students.

The reality is the vast majority of standard lenses sold with ILCs of any kind are very good. I don’t mean very good for the price I mean they are very good. The fact is for the use that most people put them to, they are better than required. Certainly they can be improved or they can be made cheaper. When I bought my first SLR a zoom lens was something people laughed at, when compared to primes they were not crash hot. But did the product die because it was no good? No, the sales of zoom lenses thrived, they took over the market. They provided a reasonable quality and a lot of flexibility. Was it web site tests that improved the zoom lens? no there was no internet. It was simply the fact that manufacturers recognised the zoom was not going to go away, it was popular, a good zoom would sell more cameras.

So we are back to assessment of lenses. The graph and measure brigade do nothing for photography. The assessor who gives a 4 out of 5 for a lens that takes great shots for the average consumer is the one promoting photography. The numbers brigade do nothing for photography. In fact they have zero influence on lens manufacturing. Most lens manufacturers prefer to use real life images and photographers not charts. In fact Leica thinks they are a wast of time. http://www.pixiq.com/article/The%20Leica%20M%20Lens%20System

humbug hmmm

Leica would think that they work under the premise that their lenses are made by unicorns using enchanted glass and as such can be sold at huge prices to dumb rich people lol

While the zoom lenses sold as kit lenses and normal additional lenses for systems are very good. It must be accepted that there are also lenses that are superior. This superiority does not detract from the very good lenses on the market. It does give another layer to photography. One that is needed and very welcome and gives more opportunity for creativity for many. I cannot see myself producing very large prints, and while I do have and use lenses from Voigtlander and Leica for specific things, I normally use the longer additional zooms for walking about. It gives me range and flexibility with a result I am entirely happy with. In fact I have often been very pleasantly surprised by shots shot under difficult circumstances. But Leica lenses, Yes, a boon for the professional and enthusiast and a plus for photography in general, but we don’t all need a drawer full.

amalric

Thank you. This is v. true. It was a great American photographer to warn that today there are no bad lenses, and it was still the time of film!

Forums are saddled with a greta number of cretins that think that photography is all about collecting the most expensive gear, so that they can sneer at their poorer countryman.

But when you ask them to show what they DO with those precious lenses, you just get some pixel peeping samples, and no art, no skill, no composition whatsoever.

We have reached the paradox that people wanting to go pro, commercial photogs., must schedule in advance phjotography courses as expensive as their gear!

People have lost all sense of proportion, and ignore that they can get splendid images, with just the merely good lenses they already own.

In a football match some loosing teams resort to what I call mindless kicking. Kicking for the sake of kicking with no intent whatsoever when the ball comes near their goal. In fact it can be seen quite frequently.

inorog

for erics Timelapse video of Eastern Kentucky, What equipment was used for panning and other (crane like) shots?

Thank you for the Eamstern KY time lapse vid,eo. I was born and lived in Harlan KY until I went to college. It is a beautiful part of the country, but tough to make a decent living and areas like Harlan ate isolated. I am a micro four thirds camera buff.

Thank you for your perspective Elbert, I’m very glad I haven’t offended people who are from this region(this was a very big concern of mine). I know I missed a lot of the area and this video is basically a preview of how towns in eastern Kentucky look (hopefully more people will experience the Appalachian Mountains for themselves). While driving around I don’t even know the number of times I said “Wow” to myself in the car. There were so many more places I wanted to shoot but didn’t find a convenient place to pull over or there were no clouds at all (only one day). In one particular spot, driving between two mountains with a stream flowing between them, I remember thinking “man, the Hobbit movies could have been shot here.” This area is absolutely beautiful. If anyone is ever in the area please try to take the back roads and pull off the main road at least once and see where other people live.
Just a heads up, it gets dark there an hour or two before the sun sets.

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Here is the definition of the word “rumor” according to Merriam Webster dictionary:

Pronunciation: \ˈrü-mər\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English rumour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rumor clamor, gossip; akin to Old English rēon to lament, Sanskrit rauti he roars

Date: 14th century
1: talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source
2: a statement or report current without known authority for its truth
3 archaic : talk or report of a notable person or event

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